Dr. Michael Sisti and his wife Elena

Columbia University Medical Center’s Department of Nursing honored our own Dr. Michael B. Sisti with a 2010 Attending Physician of the Year Award.  The ceremony, now in it’s eleventh year, was held at the Milstein Family Heart Center.

Over 100 people attended the event including Dr. Sisti’s parents Charles and Emily Sisti, his wife Elena Sisti and two of their three children Alexander and Ariana. Dr. Sisti said his third child, “Jonathan was taking an exam at Columbia and I excused him!”  Also in attendance was Dr. Sisti’s mother-in-law Gloria Ruiz Duzoglou.

Four attendings, one resident and one fellow are given the award each year, out of a total of 3200 doctors possible. That means, less than 0.02% (one out of 500) of all the physicians at New York Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital are awarded.

Dr. Sisti (center) with department nurses

Dr. Sisti has been nominated twice for the award and is the only neurosurgeon to have received it. The award was given by the entire senior leadership of NYP: President & CEO, Dr Herbert Pardes;  Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Steven Corwin; Senior VP, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Robert Kelly; VP of Clinical Services, Andria Castellanos; Senior VP & Chief Nursing Officer, Willie Manzano; and VP of Patient Care Services, Georgia Persky.

Each award was presented by the chief nurse in their area, after a video of the doctor given by the staff.  The head OR nurse for the neurosurgery operating rooms, Soon-Hye Shim presented Dr. Sisti’s award.

Below is an excerpt about Dr. Sisti from the event’s brochure:

Dr. Sisti (3rd from the left) with all the 2010 winners

Congratulations Dr. Sisti!